Portland Homes

Portland homes come in all styles, so you are sure to find one
that you
like. You name it, Portland houses--from ultra-modern
contemporary urban lofts, to turn of the (previous) century Victorians,
there is a style of home in Portland to please everyone. The styles of
Portland homes largely depends on their age and when the communities
were built. Generally speaking, the oldest Portland houses are found on
the East side of the Willamette river, and also "close in" near
downtown. As Portland expanded, home styles changed with the times and
more ranches and modern styles appeared. More recently, with the urban
growth boundary controlling Portland sprawl, there is a focus on using
all available space in the city, so there is a resurgence of
redevelopment with new lofts and townhouses springing up. Whatever
style of home you enjoy, if you love houses, you'll love Portland.

If you want to browse Portland homes for sale currently, visit
the MLS
Portland Oregon for a handy search utility--you can even search by
neighborhood.

Portland Tudor

This romantic home style evokes a sense of old England.
American Tudor style homes are built with visible timbers exposed as a
design element (usually not structural, but decorative), with steeply
pitched
rooflines, and may have ornamental windows and leaded glass. These
homes almost always have an exterior of stucco or brick. Tudor homes
were typically built
from the late 1800s through to the 1940s.

Old Portland Foursquare

You've no doubt seen these big solid homes lining our streets.
Two or more stories high, these homes are based on a square foundation,
with a dormer window on the second story. They usually have a nice,
broad covered porch. Old Portland homes were typically built in the
timeframe of about 1895 to the 1930s.

Portland Cape Cod

A classic and popular style, the Cape Cod home is 1.5-2 levels
high and typically has a steeply pitched roofline, which may include
dormer windows. These cozy homes were typically built around the 1930s
to 1950s.

Portland Craftsman or Arts
and Crafts, Portland Bungalow

This is a wonderful Portland style home that can be found in
many neighborhoods. These houses look and feel solid and comfortable.
With wide, low slung rooflines, and inviting overhung porches,
these home are generally 1-1.5 stories high, and usually come with
fireplaces and craftsman touches like built-in shelving and cabinetry.
Smaller versions of this home found throughout Portland are typically
called Bungalows or Cottages.

Portland Colonial

Colonial homes are impressive, solid, two-story homes, usually
broad, symmetrical, and rectangular in design. They are often decorated
in a classic style with pillars or pilasters over the door and entry,
dentil molding, and shuttered windows. These homes were built from
about the late 1800's to the mid 1950s. Similar names and styles are
Colonial Revival, Federal and Georgian styles, all sharing in common
understated refinement of
detail, and a solid, conservative appearance.

Portland Victorian

Depending on the period, there are several different Victorian
style homes, but they are typically ornamented and may include boldly
colored paint and fanciful trim. Whimsical fretwork, gingerbread
shingles, balustrades, spindles, turrets, and heavy use of
ornamentation can be commonly found on this style of home. These homes
were typically built around the mid to late 1800s through to about 1900.

Portland Ranch

Ranches are one-story homes that come in any number of floor
layouts depending on the size and shape of the lot--rectangular,
L-shaped, U-shaped with a courtyard, etc. A daylight ranch is a ranch
home with
a basement or lower story that is partially underground and at least
partially open to ground level--typically built on a slope or to take
advantage of a view.
Smaller ranches often make great starter homes as they are economically
designed. In addition, ranches are excellent homes for small children,
or those with physical disability as there are no stairs to navigate.
Ranches have been
popular homes since the 1930s.

Portland Lofts

A loft is typically a home built on the second floor or higher
in an urban area. Usually one-story, but not always, the design varies
but usually takes advantage of the history or buildings of the area to
suggest design elements such as glass and steel, brick work, old beams,
etc. The higher you go, the better the views, and the higher the price.
In Portland, lofts are cropping up in all sorts of redeveloped urban
areas such as in
Irvington/Hollywood, however the original increase in popularity of
lofts came about with development of former industrial area now known
as the Pearl District.

Portland Townhouse, Rowhouse

A townhouse is typically two-three stories high, and is
usually built to take advantage of a narrow space, such as a city lot.
When built in rows, they are called row-houses. You will find
townhouses in
Portland in the Pearl District, suburbs, and also on inner city urban
lots that have been cleared for redevelopment. When sold as a
condominium, there are typically condo association privileges and
amenities such as a community area,
parking garage and gym or other living services.

If you are interested in resources for Portland Real Estate, Home Loans,
Mortgage Information, and buying or selling a home in Portland, please
see the Portland Real
Estate page.

Maps
- View Neighborhoods and Boundaries

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